Harris County Residents Can Claim Their Cash; Save for College at Feb. 19 and 20 Event

(AUSTIN) —Harris County residents who think — or hope — they might have some money waiting in the state’s Unclaimed Property database can search the list at an event hosted by the Texas Comptroller’s office and Harris County Treasurer Orlando Sanchez.

In addition, Texans will have the opportunity to enroll in the state’s prepaid college tuition program, the Texas Tuition Promise Fund (TTPF). The TTPF enrollment period deadline is Feb. 28, 2014.

Unclaimed Property and TTPF representatives from the Comptroller’s office will be available to help people search for unclaimed property online, fill out claim forms and answer questions about the TTPF program from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 19, at the Trini Mendenhall Sosa Community Center, at 1414 Wirt Road in Houston or from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 20, at the Leon Grayson/Baldree Community Center in the Baldree Building at 13828 Corpus Christi in Houston.

“There is currently about $3.8 billion in the unclaimed property program,” said Texas Comptroller Susan Combs. “That money belongs to Texans, and it is important that we get it back into the right hands.”

The Comptroller’s office reports that Harris County residents currently have more than $445 million waiting to be claimed.

The Comptroller estimates one in four Texans has money waiting to be claimed. Unclaimed property includes forgotten utility deposits or other refunds, insurance proceeds, mineral interest or royalty payments, dormant bank accounts and abandoned safe deposit box contents. To search for unclaimed property at any time, visit the Comptroller’s unclaimed property website at www.ClaimItTexas.org or call 1-800-654-FIND (3463).

A TTPF representative will discuss the advantages and enrollment opportunities for the state’s prepaid tuition program, benefiting Texas parents who are interested in saving for their children’s college education.

“Public college costs have risen exponentially over the past decade. It is important for Texas parents to have the opportunity to save for their children’s college education with this prepaid tuition plan,” Combs said.

The TTPF allows Texans to lock in the cost of undergraduate college tuition and required fees at Texas public colleges and universities, protecting against future tuition inflation. For additional information visit, www.tuitionpromise.org.